Try-on slippers



Dec. 2, s

TRY-0N SLIPPERS Filed Sept. 13. 1954 INVENTOR.

LEE ELLIS ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,862,31 I Patented Dec. 2, 1958 TRY-N SLIPPERS Lee Ellis, Akron, Ohio Application September 13, 1954, Serial No. 455,376 1 Claim. (Cl. 3611.5)

This invention relates to slippers which are to be stocked by retailers of womens dresses for use by customers while trying on dresses or having fittings made, including alternation of skirt lengths. They will be referred to herein as try-on slippers. The try-on slippers are provided with high heels. They are not made to exact size, but two or three sizes are all that are required for the accommodation of all Women, regardless of the size of their feet.

Women prefer to wear low-heeled shoes when shopping. High heels make them weary. They do not like to shop for better dresses or have them fitted when wearing low heels, because in low heels it is difficult to visualize the fit and appearance of a dress when high heels are worn. By providing the high-heeled try-on slippers of this invention, the retailer will invite the prospective buyer who likes to shop in low heels, because she will know that she can use the try-on slippers while trying on dresses and while having fittings made, and thus get the efiect of wearing high-heeled shoes.

In the try-0n slippers, a substantially flat platform extends forward from the high heel to the toe. Tie ribbons or other means are supplied for holding the try-on slippers on to the feet of the prospective customers, and these ribbons are not permanently anchored to the slippers but they may be replaced by fresh ribbons at frequent intervals. Ordinarily, to minimize production costs, the two slippers of a pair will be made identical, i. e. without a right and a left." The slippers are preferably molded of plastic, and are formed with a hollow heel. The retailer may supply fresh tissue insoles for each customer, to be worn while wearing the try-on slippers, to insure cleanliness.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a try-on slipper;

Fig. 2 is a side view;

Fig. 3 is a top view; and

Figs. 4, and 6 are sections on the lines 4-4, 5-5, and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 2.

The slipper is molded of plastic, and may be opaque or as transparent as desired, and may be colored in any manner. The heel 5 is hollow. The hollow is covered with the heel seat 6 which is fastened in place with solvent or other adhesive. Alternatively it may be snapped or screwed in place, or may be otherwise fastened as de sired. Except for this heel seat, the slipper is molded in a single piece.

The platform extends forwardly from the heel 5 to the toe 7 and includes both the shank 8 which underlies the instep of the wearer, and the sole 9 on which rests the ball of the Wearers foot. The top surface of the slipper is substantially flat except for slight depressions 10 and 11 to receive the heel and the ball of the foot.

The reinforcing web 12 extends forwardly from the heel to the underside of the shank. It need not fill in the arch, but may bridge it.

A single ribbon 15 is threaded through the four slots 13. Starting at the front slots, the ribbon is threaded from the far side of the slipper (as seen in Fig. 1) and up into the far slot. It then lies flat on the top of the platform, and is threaded down through the near slot. Then, while providing a generous loop, it is threaded up through the rear slot 13 on the near side of the platform, and while lying flat on the platform, it is threaded down through the rear slot on the far side. Then when the slipper is put on, one of the loose ends on the far side of the slipper is put through the generous loop on the near side, and then, laying the loop over the foot, the two loose ends of the ribbon are tied together, as shown. The ribbon 16 is crossed in front of the ankle and then tied at the rear, as shown. Slots and ribbons need not be used in the preferred manner illustrated and described, but any suitable arrangement may be employed.

The try-on slippers are preferably made of a plastic which gives rigidity to the high heels while leaving the sole flexible for comfort. Plastics such as vinyl or cellulose acetate or polyethylene, etc. may be used. The structure of the hollow heel is such that with a wall of the required thickness a rigid heel is obtainable with the same plastic that produces a platform that flexes with the foot of a woman who is wearing the slipper.

The try-on slippers are inviting in appearance. The woman shopper who knows they are provided by a certain retailer, will welcome the opportunity of frequenting this establishment while shopping in low-heeled shoes, and will replace these shoes with try-on slippers while trying on dresses and while having fittings made.

What I claim is:

A try-on slipper of molded solid plastic which includes a high heel and a platform, the two sides of the slipper being symmetrical, the high heel being hollow and open at the top and molded integrally with the platform and with a single, narrow, centrally disposed vertical reinforcing web which connects only the upper part of the breast of the heel with the underside of the top portion only of the shank of the platform, an indentation around the opening in the top of the heel and a cover adhered to the heel therein over the opening, the cover being depressed to comfortably receive the heel, the platform having a single relatively wide and long depression in the top surface of the forward part thereof exposed to receive only substantially the whole of the ball of the foot of the wearer whereby the foot is deterred from slipping forwardly on the platform, and there being several small elongated and relatively widely separated openings through said platform at both margins thereof located forwardly from about the rear of the shank to the toe of the platform adapted to accommodate ribbons therethrough for tying the slipper on to the wearers foot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 296,264 Williams Apr. 1, 1884 1,253,639 Smith Jan. 15, 1918 1,597,131 Wentworth Aug. 24, 1926 1,823,445 Goldstone Sept. 15, 1931 2,016,178 Riddock Oct. 1, 1935 2,349,374 Pym May 23, 1944 2,402,227 Ihle June 18, 1946 2,509,335 Dadisman May 30, 1950 2,532,638 Niccoli Dec. 5, 1950 2,571,673 Brannen et al. Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,786 Great Britain Sept. 5, 1900 538,899 France Mar. 25, 1922 1,085,931 France Aug. 4, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Certificate of Cerreetien Patent N 0. 2,862,311 December 2, 1958 Lee Ellis It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, line 12, for Lee Ellis, his heirs reed Lee Ellis, her heirs; in the prmced speclfieet-lon, column 1, line 18, for alternetlon reed elteret1on-.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of April 1959.

[SEAL] Attest': T. B. MOBROW, ROBERT C. WATSON, Attestiny Ofiaer. Commissioner of Patents. 

